From 0485ebb02bbfda3aa2c46649d84f80047be8e5b4 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: uvok cheetah Date: Wed, 31 Jul 2024 16:08:06 +0200 Subject: AWOO post --- _posts/2024-07-31-awoostria-2024.md | 107 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 107 insertions(+) create mode 100644 _posts/2024-07-31-awoostria-2024.md diff --git a/_posts/2024-07-31-awoostria-2024.md b/_posts/2024-07-31-awoostria-2024.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..ad104e8 --- /dev/null +++ b/_posts/2024-07-31-awoostria-2024.md @@ -0,0 +1,107 @@ +--- +layout: post +title: Awoostria 2024 +date: 2024-07-31 14:24 +0200 +lang: en +categories: ["furry"] +--- + +So yeah, I'm still recovering a bit from the convention. So I'mma try to write a +report anyway, kinda as a "recollection" exercise. It's kind of a blur. + +So, Awoostria. I read about it in the beginning of the year, thought "convention +in Vienna, Austria, why not? I liked GLC in Switzerland". Usually, I don't +travel by and for myself. I kinda have a (bit unhealthy) attitude "uh, why +should I travel, I'mma sit around alone for the whole day anyway, might as well +do this at home", so conventions are a great excuse for me to get out. I see +some new cities / locations I wouldn't usually get to see, and at the same time +I meet new people with a common interest. Sounds like a good deal. + +**Wednesday** + +I went the "early arrival, late departure" route. Might be to do with FOMO, but +it's also more relaxed. I was *really* surprised Vienna is only 5.5 hours of +train travel away, and it's a direct connection. So I went with Deutsche Bahn. +It went relatively smoothly, no major delays, and in the Telegram group chat I +even got some nice tips to switch to metro at Wien Meidling instead of going to +Main Station. Was a good tip. + +A not-so-nice experience, at Wien Meidling I was approached twice by people who +went like "uh, hey, excuse me please…", but I have enough of this experience +here in Würzburg to already assume it's probably just going to be begging, so I +went into full ignore mode and simply went on to the subway. + +During the convention, I got really impressed by Vienna's public transport. The +hotel was conveniently located. So I could get there by walking from the +station Wien West easily. The day I arrived there was still some setup going +on, regarding the decoration. On this day, I played some nice card games with +other furries already at the convention (sadly, the only time I did that). Got +something small to eat as well. Otherwise, I walked around near the venue, +found a nice spot with a bit of a view over the city, but not much else going +on. + +**Thursday** + +First day, already some digestion issues. "Not off to a good start", I thought, +but it probably just was the excitement, the other days went by without +problems. Went around the city a bit on my own and even got a week ticket for +the public transport (20 Euro, eh, might be an okay-ish price for a vacation). +Saw some of the horse-drawn carriages as well (didn't go in one for the whole +time). Took some photos of some fursuiters (on Thursday and all of the following +days), watched the opening, tried to go to the cuddle panel, but it was too +full, watched the karaoke, then the day was already over for me. + +**Friday** + +Sightseeing time. A local fur offered a small group of us furries a sightseeing +tour. Castle Schönbrunn, Karl's church (from the outside), Hofburg, Spanish +Horse riding academy, Amusement Park Prater, if I remember all of it. Did the +"wildwater ride" (?) in the Prater, actually the only attraction I'm comfortable +with in amusement parks. I don't go for roller coasters. Got a nice leopard +lanyard and a magnet in the dealer's den. Went to the snack exchange and the +"fursuit striptease", which was a funny event as well. I was a bit sad that I +missed the WHSPRS concert, but I can't split myself in two. I think I even +checked out the dance on that day. + +**Saturday** + +The day I realized I could use the hotel's wellness area. Took a nice break in +the infrared chamber. The Broadcasting panel was very interesting. For me, it's +always fascinating to see in which fields other furries work. Had some nice +cuddles, joined the disability meet-up, went to the dance for a bit again and… +that's it, I guess? + +**Sunday** + +Charity auction, Powerpoint karaoke, closing (which involved some serious queuing), +spend the evening outside where there was some music being played… uh… did I do +anything else? + +**Monday** + +Time to say goodbye, after breakfast. Originally I planned to depart early and +visit the Manner factory shop, but I had a nice talk with other furs during +breakfast, time went by, I still had to pack (just throw stuff in the +suitcase), so in the end, I didn't have time to do that. Also, the factory +shop was inconveniently located, in regards to public transport. Much sad. +Travel home went by without significant delays. + +**Overall** + +In retrospect, trying to recollect what I did, I am a bit shocked to realize +that there are some "black holes" in the timeline. No, I didn't drink any +alcohol. Probably more happened, by my brain is not used to this amount of stuff +happening. + +Hotel breakfast was wonderful. I missed that when I got back home and had to do +my breakfast myself again. + +Vienna is hecking **clean**. I not once saw dog poop or trash lying around. + +I had enough sleep, had enough food and drink, still, I still spent a probably +significant amount of time "milling around"? There's kind of a nagging feeling +that it should be easier to form connections, sit down somewhere by a group of +prople and simply join in a talk? And a slight nagging feeling of FOMO might as +well have been present. That's a me problem, nonetheless, nothing to do with the +convention itself. And I also go to conventions to try to cure that. + -- cgit v1.2.3